Advanced Typography: Task 1

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Advanced Typography: Task 1 - Exercises

23.08.2021 - 13.09.2021 (Week 1 - Week 4)

Hussain Waheed (0344802)

Bachelor of Design (Hons) in Creative Media

Task 1: Exercises - Typographic Systems / Type & Play

LECTURES:

Lecture 1: Typographic systems

On the first pre-recorded lecture, Mr.Vinod talks about the 8 different typographic systems that are used in design. The 8 variations of typographic systems according to Elam 2007 are:
  1. Axial
  2. Radial
  3. Dilatational
  4. Random
  5. Grid
  6. Modular
  7. Transitional
  8. Bilateral

Figure 1.0.0 - Typographic systems lecture video snap - 24 August 2021

1. Axial: All elements are organised to the left or right to a single axis.


Figure 1.0.1 - Axial - 24 August 2021

2. Radial: All elements are extended from a point of focus
Figure 1.0.2 - Radial - 24 August 2021

3. Dilatational: All elements expand from a central point in a circular fashion.

Figure 1.0.3 - Dilatational - 24 August 2021

4. Random: Elements Appear to have no specific pattern or relationship

Figure 1.0.4 - Random - 24 August 2021

5. Grid: A system of vertical and horizontal divisions.

Figure 1.0.5 - Grid - 24 August 2021

6. Transitional: An informal system of layered banding.

Figure 1.0.6 - Transitional - 24 August 2021

7. Modular: A series of non-objective elements that are constructed in standardised units.

Figure 1.0.7  - Modular - 24 August 2021

8. Bilateral: All text is arranged systematically on a single axis

Figure 1.0.8 - Bilateral - 24 August 2021

Lecture 2: Typographic composition

On this lecture video, Mr.Vinod explains what composition is in terms of typography and how it defers from general composition in design. Some of the rules of composition explained in the video include, repetition, emphasis, rule of thirds, typographic systems. Examples were shown from the modernist and post-modernist era.

Figure 1.1.0 - Compositions from postmodernist era - 24 August 2021

Environmental grip was also explained on the video.

Lecture 3: Context and Creativity

This lecture explained the history of handwriting and calligraphy from the most ancient forms to more recent history. 

Figure 1.2.1 -Evolution of Latin alphabet - 24 August 2021

Hieroglyphics: The Egyptian hieroglyphics, Cuneiform, Black letter, moveable type, Greek influence, are some of the eras that were explained in this lecture.

Figure 1.2.2 -Evolution of Blackletter - 24 August 2021

Local movements and individuals from different cultures and civilisations were discussed as well.

Lecture 4: Designing Type

"Type design carries a social responsibility so one must continue to improve its legibility.

Type design is a form of artistic expression" - Xavier Dupre

This lecture was based on designing type and letterforms and explained some of the world's most popular typefaces and how they were designed. The lecture also talks about concepts and approaches to create letterforms.

Figure 1.2.3 - Iterations of Frutiger - 24 August 2021

Figure 1.2.4 - Works by Matthew Carter - 24 August 2021


Lecture 5: Perception and Organisation

This lecture is focused on the organisation and perception of typography. This lecture explained the importance of visual composition and arrangement in typography. How contrast is created from Size, Weight, Form, Structure, texture, colour, of letters, Gestalt and organisational systems and methods were some of the concepts explained in the lecture. 

Figure 1.2.5 - Contrast in typography - 24 August 2021

Figure 1.2.6 - Contrast in terms of weight and colour in typography - 24 August 2021

INSTRUCTIONS:

TASK 1A: Typographic systems
 Design the provided information for the 8 different typographic systems:

Figure 2.1 - Axial

Figure 2.2 - Radial

Figure 2.3 - Dilatational





Figure 2.4 - Random

Figure 2.5 - Grid
Figure 2.6 - Transitional
Figure 2.7 - Bilateral

Figure 2.8 - Modular

After getting the feedback, I wanted to experiment more with the designs so I researched a bit about Russian constructivism and found that it was actually a very cool thing. I didn't know what it was called but I always loved soviet-era designs and posters and apparently Russian constructivism is what it is. So I saw some really good works and got some inspiration to try again. here are the outcomes

FINAL SUBMISSION:

Figure 3.0 - Axial- 12th September 2021

Figure 3.1 - Grid - 12th September 2021

Figure 3.2 - Dilatational - 12th September 2021

Figure 3.3 - Bilateral - 12th September 2021


Figure 3.4 - Modular - 12th September 2021

Figure 3.5 - Random - 12th September 2021

Figure 3.6 - Transitional - 12th September 2021

Figure 3.7 - Radial - 12th September 2021


FINAL TYPOGRAPHIC SYSTEMS - PDF

FINAL TYPOGRAPHIC SYSTEMS WITH GRID - PDF

TASK 1B: Environmental Type design

For this task, we were instructed to look for a photo to extract from it a typeface. We were told to outline from any image of our surroundings or from the internet and look for 4 letters and then recreate it to design a typeface. I searched online to find a pattern of corals because I find corals have interesting patterns to choose from. I found this image of a brain coral in google images:

Figure 4.0 - Coral image from google images - 12th September 2021

I found this image interesting because it had a pattern that has the potential for a good recurring pattern that could lead to a good design. So I imported it Illustrator to begin the extraction.

Figure 4.1 - extracting raw letters - 12th September 2021

From the image, I roughly extracted the letters "C O R A L S" because I didn't want to aim for 4 letters. Also I figured since I the end-result is to create a typeface, I will create a structure that can be used for all the letters rather than strictly cutting out a few letters. So I determined how the patter n follows throughout a coral and how the weight and outline of the basic stroke looks like. After analysing the pattern, I created a pattern for the outline stroke as seen on figure 4.1

Figure 4.2 - Letter structure and form - 12th September 2021

By looking at the basic strokes, I designed a letter structure with similar weight and form. The structure had diagonal sides on the top and bottom with vertical main strokes on the sides. I then applied the structure to designing the letters that I extracted.

Figure 4.3 - Designing process of extracted letters - 12th September 2021

After spending a while designing letters and twitching the outcomes, here is my final selection of letters which I then applied the pattern outline to.

Figure 4.4 - Final selection and applying Patterns - 12th September 2021

FINAL OUTCOME - CORALS LETTERS

Figure 4.5 - Final design of letters - 12th September 2021

Final design of letters PDF - 12th September 2021

TASK 1C: Type & Play

For this task, we were required to create something like a poster using typography. We were given the flexibility to design however we like so I wanted to make a fan art to my current favourite artist Taika Waititi, I used illustrator to make the main title and quote and then compiled them with photos and typographic titles from some of his movies in Photoshop.

Figure 5.0 - Type & Play poster texts in Illustrator - 15th September 2021

Figure 5.1 - Type & Play poster making in Photoshop - 15th September 2021

FINAL SUBMISSION:

Figure 5.2 - Type & Play Final Poster JPEG- 15th September 2021


Figure 5.2 - Type & Play Final Poster PDF - 15th September 2021


TASK 1 DURATION:

TASK 1A: 6 hrs

TASK 1B: 3 hrs

TASK 1C: 1.5 hrs

FEEDBACK:

Week 1: 

General Feedback: Start all texts with the same point size before altering point sizes and hierarchy. Alignment is important to create hierarchy and movement across the design.

Specific Feedback: No specific feedback

Week 2: 

General Feedback: When using uppercase, use adjustments to have the best proportion. Use kerning, tracking and letter-spacing adjustments. Dashes come in different lengths. 9AM - 10PM has the en dash. em dash is the longest.

Specific Feedback: Grid system needs to be ordered with similar grids that has more interrelation with each other. Modular system needs more alignment with the separate cells.

Week 3: 

General Feedback: Research and find works of dadaism, fire art, random typography artworks and cubism. Explore works by typographers and artists.

Specific Feedback: No specific feedback

Week 4: 

General Feedback: When creating a typeface, question : the consistency of weight on strokes / number of stages for development /if the form evolved while maintaining the look of the main reference / if there is room for improvements.

Specific Feedback: Need to have more stages of letter development. Need to explore each step to find more options for moving forward

Week 5: 

General Feedback: When creating a typeface, question : the consistency of weight on strokes / number of stages for development /if the form evolved while maintaining the look of the main reference / if there is room for improvements.

Specific Feedback: No Specific feedback

REFLECTIONS:

EXPERIENCE: I was pretty excited for this module but I had some time-management issues that lead to chasing deadlines on the first few weeks. I managed to finish the tasks but barely so I found time to go back, research and re-do the tasks. I wasn't happy with some of the tasks I submitted at first but I am very happy with the corrected final submissions for all the tasks.

OBSERVATION: I found the mid-session pep talks by Mr.Vinod very interesting so I noted down some of the people and topics he highlighted and went on to do some research and I was very glad I did that. I found some really insightful and interesting stuff while researching that made me re-do some of the tasks using the inspiration.

FINDINGS: I found that it is always important to know what you are doing before attempting to do that. Sitting down before-hand, doing some research and making some sketches is always very important for whatever it is that you are doing. I found that chasing timelines and procrastinating has really negative affects for the learning process even though I also found that procrastinating is actually helpful on some things for some reason. 

FURTHER READING:

Figure 6.0 - Typographic systems video - 10th September 2021



Week 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YnsfRQ-CeQ - This video describes with examples, the 8 typographic systems

Week 3: http://www.davidcarsondesign.com/

Figure 6.1 - David Carson video - 10th September 2021

Week 4: What is Dadaism? https://magazine.artland.com/what-is-dadaism/

Figure 6.0 - Dadaism article - 21st September 2021

This article by Marcel Duchamp talks about the origins and history of Dadaism and how it has evolved through the years.

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